mortgage

Infill Construction Financing

In real estate markets in many of Canada’s largest urban centres infill construction financing has become a common request by many builders and investors. Even home owners consider infill construction financing for rebuilding their homes on the existing land they are living on.

In places like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and the surrounding cities of these urban centres infill construction financing applications have become a normal and routine process in attaining the funds needed to start a residential construction project. It is pretty well the same with non-residential or commercial construction projects.

This is yet another important reason why a borrower, investor, and or builder should work with a Mortgage Broker as many of them have extensive experience in working with many lenders who provide infill construction financing.

For the most part infill construction refers to the process of getting money for financing the construction of a real estate project in which the applicant has or will be purchasing an existing property and the land it is on for the purposes of knocking it down to build a new property on it. At times infill construction financing also refers to the acquisition of raw land on which plans are in place to build residential or commercial property on it.

Infill Construction Financing requirements

Each lending institution will have their own borrowing requirements, but some of these can be applied across the board with many if not all lenders.

Minimum and maximum loan amounts

Borrower qualification standards for income / employment

Credit worthiness in the way of credit checks and its history and strength

Past experience in home or commercial building projects

Lending interest rates will vary based on each projects unique realities and other variables like, location, size, and funds required.

Usually there is a lender and broker fee

Appraisals will be required throughout the project to verify land and property value before and after infill construction project

Sometimes even environmental tests must be done depending on the type of property and land currently on site

With infill construction the lenders typically give up to 100% of the hard construction costs and up to 75-80% of the lot purchase price or appraised value

The above items should give you a good idea of what is involved with applying for infill construction financing. At Trustterra Mortgage we’re always here to help our clients attain the best possible mortgage financing options available to them based on their credit and income realities. If you have any questions or wish to start on a infill construction financing project Contact Us. We would be happy to help!

Rental Property Mortgage

Purchasing or refinancing a rental property can be a lot more complicated when it comes to getting a rental property mortgage. Another industry description of it is investment property mortgage; where investment property could be a residential rental property, or none residential property.

In Canada the Chartered Banks and many National institutional lenders offer the same discounted rates and features as regular owner occupied mortgages for rental property mortgages up to 4 units. But once you go passed the 4 unit cap then the mortgage becomes categorized as a commercial transaction and it is underwritten and viewed as such, including more strenuous ‘stress’ tests and mortgage conditions and policies.

Rental property mortgage or investment property mortgages

Are still available through the Chartered Banks but they can be very difficult to be approved by them, whereas other institutional lenders and private lenders can be more flexible and forgiving on certain personal and corporate borrower realities that the banks won’t be flexible on.

Many times than not, when a borrower cannot get their rental property mortgage application approved by the Chartered Banks they approach mortgage brokers, or mortgage agents for help. Mortgage Brokers or Mortgage Agents have specialized training and knowledge of the mortgage industry and can help with finding the suitable lender who would be the right fit for their client’s rental property mortgage.

A rental property mortgage would generally be called and categorized by some as a commercial mortgage. With these types of mortgages the time needed to get the mortgage approved and closed is much longer than traditional residential owner occupied mortgages. On average it can take one month or longer to complete a rental property mortgage transaction.

There are different sub categories or types of rental property mortgages and we will go through each of them in terms of the borrowing features they have:

Multi-Unit up to 2 units

One of the units must be occupied by the owner

Can borrow up to 95% of the appraised value

Most of the time the mortgage is portable to another property

If providing less than 20% down payment the rental property mortgage must be insured through Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation CMHC

Although CMHC allows flexibility of where the down payment comes from, most lenders do not, and require that the borrower of the mortgage has the down payment in his or her bank accounts for at least three months (two months if not insured)

Maximum amortization is 25 years

All employment and credit history / strength requirements apply

Have mortgage questions about rental property mortgages or investment properties in general?Reach out to us. We can help.

Multi-Unit 3-4 units

One of the units must be occupied by the owner

Can borrow up to 90% of the appraised value

Most of the time the mortgage is portable to another property

If providing less than 20% down payment the rental property mortgage must be insured through Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation CMHC

Although CMHC allows flexibility of where the down payment comes from, most lenders do not, and require that the borrower of the mortgage has the down payment in his or her bank accounts for at least three months (two months if not insured)

Maximum amortization is 25 years

All employment and credit history / strength requirements apply

If you are considering purchasing this type of property or refinancing an existing one please contact us.

Multi-Unit 5 units and up

With any properties of 5 units or higher Chartered Banks refer the application to their commercial departments and Mortgage Brokers or Mortgage Agents would submit their applications to specialized commercial lenders, and some who have relationships with local commercial bank branches in the locality of the subject property may also submit the application to them.

Chartered Banks work with CMHC when the clients have between 15% and up to but not including 20% down payment. Some of the National lenders also work with CMHC and may accept applications with less than 20% up to 15%.

With CMHC insured rental property mortgages a minimum of 15% down payment is required when purchasing or refinancing.

Most commercial lenders for rental property mortgages work with CMHC even if the client provides 20% down payment. This is to protect themselves in the event of a default.

CMHC also charges a premium fee for each unit in the property. Detailed calculation of the premiums are done by CMHC and provided to the lender, which is then forwarded to the Mortgage Broker or Agent to share with the client. The fee schedule could also be found on CMHC’s web site

To mitigate risk and to avoid CMHC insurance lenders will consider a lower mortgage amount and higher down payment by the borrower, normally anywhere between 60% to 70% of the appraised value.

We are here to help and accompany you through the complicated mortgage application process of multi-unit 5+ properties. Contact us and let’s work together.

It’s Mortgage Renewal time

Is your mortgage coming up for renewal within the next several months? Don’t settle for less. If you don’t look around you’ll never know if your existing lender is offering you the best mortgage renewal package. This is where we come in. As a mortgage brokerage we shop around on behalf of our clients to make sure they get the best overall suited mortgage product for their mortgage renewal needs. And never compare yourself with another person’s mortgage as everyone’s personal situation could be different, which in turn will require customized approaches towards getting the right mortgage at mortgage renewal time.

Different Reasons for mortgage renewals

So you’ve been thinking lately about what to do with your mortgage. Contact us and lets think about it together. You’ve also heard that the lower your mortgage balance is the higher your home equity would be and the more money you can access from your home. That is true, as your mortgage balance decreases the percentage of the equity you can access from your home increases.

Here are some reasons why you should contact us:

You want to do a mortgage renewal for a better rate than what your current lender has offering you

You want to do a mortgage renewal to consolidate your debts and pay a lower interest rate on the new larger mortgage amount

You want to do a mortgage renewal with a new lender to add a home equity line of credit to your house

You want to do a mortgage renewal so you can change lenders to a new one because you’ve heard good things about them and like their offerings, or have other accounts with the new lender

You have other personal doing a mortgage renewal with a new lender

Perks to switch to a new lender

The lenders have internal perks, unadvertised for the general public for switching your mortgage that only the mortgage broker community knows about. For example, if we switch your mortgage the new lender could cover the legal, appraisal, and the discharge fees. Therefore not only are you benefiting with getting expert unbiased professional advice for your renewal from Trusterra Mortgage, you are also getting competitive mortgage rates, and are switching your mortgage at minimal cost to you.

If you recently got a new mortgage or renewed your existing one, you can always give us your details and let us know when to contact you for when the time comes to renew again by using our free Mortgage Renewal Reminder Service.

Ready to start or maybe you have some questions to ask first? Contact us and we’d be happy to help you.

Americans buying Canadian Real Estate

With the value of the Canadian dollar being so low in comparison to the US dollar, it’s never been a better time as it is now for Americans buying Canadian real estate.

Now that the U.S. dollar has so much buying power here in Canada, American’s are finding it difficult to avoid the opportunity to invest in their second home, or vacation property in such places as cottage country in Alberta or Ontario.

If you have considered the possibility of purchasing real estate in Canada we can help you with any mortgage related matters. As well, we would be able to connect you to Realtors in the area you are considering to buy. Contact us to find out more about your options.

Americans buying Canadian real estate are finding many options of properties to choose from with reasonable down payment requirements from the Canadian lenders.

Another good reason why Americans are buying Canadian real estate is due to their close proximity to Canada, the longest border in the world and only a few hours away in many instances.

Having very similar credit score rating systems in Canada and the United States of America the Canadian lenders accept U.S. credit reports and employment making the mortgage application process fairly routine and the same as the American would go through in the U.S.

Getting a Mortgage for Cottage Could be Within Your Reach

Do you have a dream cottage that you plan to own one day? You’ve probably been doing the whole cottage rental thing every summer, paying a weekly or daily cottage rental fee to go up North to that amazing spot by the lake with the family and friends. Many people feel that cottage ownership is out of reach and reality for them due to high cottage prices. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Mortgage for Cottage is attainable for more people than you think

Planning is key to buying any real estate, cottage property included. What better time than when you’re young and just started your career to put money aside on a monthly basis. For those families who already own a house and are starting to build equity on their property and paying down the mortgage, it can be an opportunity to use it for a down payment on the cottage. There are so many different case scenarios that each one should be looked at on its own merits.

How does getting a Mortgage for Cottage work?

Like any other mortgage application for purchasing real estate the same process is involved with getting a mortgage for cottage. Best is to work with a Mortgage Broker or Mortgage Agent as they have specialized experience and skills with mortgages and have access to multiple lenders who would entertain your cottage mortgage application.

There are three main areas that you have to consider when applying for a mortgage for cottage:

(1) Income / Employment

Like any other loan application the lender needs to make sure you can afford to pay the monthly principal and interest payments on their loan / mortgage. Whether you are employed or self-employed it is possible to apply for a mortgage for cottage. You just need to be able to show proof of income and employment or self-employment through such things as pay stub, and employment letters for those who are employed, and business licenses, articles of incorporation, Government tax filings showing self-employed declared income for those who are self-employed.

(2) Down Payment

There is no such thing as a free mortgage. In Canada you need to have at least 5% of the purchase price from your own resources. Meaning you can’t borrow money from individuals (excluding immediate family), or companies, or a lender to pay for your down payment. You must be able to show that you have that money in your bank accounts or other investments. Many people don’t realize that there are still a few lenders out there who will entertain a mortgage for cottage application with as low as 5% down. Remember that the less down payment you provide the more income you will need since the total mortgage amount will be higher than if you had more down payment.

(3) Historically strong and healthy Credit

And the third main item that the lenders look at when someone applies for a mortgage is how strong and healthy their credit report is. There should be at least a two year history of credit activity in your credit report from Equifax and Transunion, who are the two main credit reporting agencies in Canada. Lenders don’t like to see late payments, credit collections, or bankruptcy’s in your report. This is not a good sign that you are able to pay back money you borrow.

Trusterra Mortgage is here to Help

We’re here to help from the start to the finish, working along your side until all is done. Have you been considering the idea of cottage ownership? Not sure if you could afford to buy a cottage property? With any questions you have don’t hesitate to Contact Us. And its no cost to you; a win-win situation!

Having a Mortgage Panic incident?

Well, don’t panic. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. As home prices in major cities across Canada increase they become less and less attainable by the average Canadian. Naturally this is a cause of concern, or shall we say a Mortgage Panic, as many first time home buyers could be pushed out of the market.

Sometimes a mortgage panic is justifiable and sometimes it isn’t. We’re here to help you figure out whether your mortgage panic attacks are rightly so or not. As well, we should keep in mind that maybe its just not your time to buy your first home, because if you do it could put you in a real mortgage panic as the mortgage payments start to pile up and put stress on the other parts of your financial responsibilities.

That’s why we always advise the consumer to first consult with a mortgage professional and have them analyze your financial health and strength. You can call it a personal financial stress test.

A common result of a mortgage panic is confusion

Confusion as to what steps to take first, then second and so on. When in a mortgage panic mode you can inadvertently create unduly high stress levels and further confusion as to what to do with the whole home buying process. Many times when we consult with our clients it becomes clear for them where they stand in the affordability chart and it provides them with a sound level of knowledge to make an informed decision as to whether to buy their first home or to wait a little longer.

If you are feeling the mortgage panic and the confusion coming we advise you to contact us so that we can consult with you, and bring things down to perspective, which will in turn calm you down allowing you to better assess your situation and make the right decisions.

At the end

You find out that there is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel and your mortgage panic will disappear allowing you to start working towards your home ownership goals and dreams. After the consultation and analysis of your financial health and reality we will advise you on what steps to take next. For example, it may be that you don’t have enough down payment, and all you have to do is to spend the next year saving more money. Or it may be that your credit score is poor. The goal here would be to accompany you and guide you on what to do to improve the health of your credit report and its score, known as the beacon score. It could even be a combination of several issues that need attention and nourishment.

What is a Home Equity Line of Credit?

A HELOC or Home Equity Line of Credit is a secured line of credit against your property. Just like a personal line of credit, which is unsecured, a home equity line of credit gives you access to a revolving line of credit but at a much lower interest rate than a personal line of credit.

More Equity on your home = More Home Equity Line of Credit limit

In Canada regulations limit how much you can be approved for a Home Equity Line of Credit. You can have a HELOC limit of up to 65% of the appraised value of your personal residence. Therefore the faster you pay down your mortgage, or the more down payment you provide when purchasing your home the faster you can get access to the HELOC.

Where can you get a Home Equity Line of Credit?

All the Chartered Canadian Banks offer home equity lines of credits along with their portfolio of mortgage products. As well, some of the mortgage lenders, mono line lenders, also offer HELOC’s, but not all.

How do I get approved for a Home Equity Line of Credit?

When you apply for a mortgage is the time that your mortgage broker professional would also request for a HELOC for you. The approval of a home equity line of credit will be based on which lender you are applying to, your income to debt ratios, and whether there is enough equity in your home, or in another way to say it . . . how much mortgage you have in comparison to the value of your home.

You do not necessarily need to get a mortgage in order to be approved for a home equity line of credit. Should your home be free and clear, or if you have been living in it for a long time and the value in comparison to the mortgage balance is significantly greater, then you can also apply for a HELOC.

Why do I need a HELOC, what would I use it for?

A home equity line of credit can be a very handy and effective resource to have for when you need extra money at low interest rates. You can use your HELOC for many different purposes. Here are a few common ones:

– pay down high credit card debts

– use towards purchasing a second property or investment property

– a source of emergency money for when the need arises

– purchasing larger items that are expensive enough that you would not want to pay by cash

What is the interest rate for a Home Equity Line of Credit?

Home equity lines of credit interest rates are based on the lenders prime rate plus a certain percentage. With most lenders HELOC rates range anywhere from Prime +.50% to Prime +1.0% depending on the credit limit. The higher the limit the better the discount.

Have you been considering getting a Home Equity Line of Credit but not sure if you are qualified for one, or how much you can be approved for? Contact us and we would be happy to help you with your HELOC inquiry’s.

You deserve Red Carpet Treatment

As the Oscars approach, and Oscar fever heats up we wanted to remind you that Trusterra Mortgage too is rolling out its red carpets, not just for this weekend, but every day we strive to provide exceptional customer service to all our clients. You may think that only Hollywood actors and royalty get the red carpet treatment, but no, you too can as well.

At Trusterra Mortgage we believe that providing a honest straight forward and ethical advice and service to our clients is in fact a type of red carpet treatment. Following the law and regulations that govern our industry we believe is part of the red carpet treatment as well.

So don’t be shy and Contact Us to get started and let’s roll out the symbolic red carpet together and let us pamper you with that red carpet treatment you deserve when getting your mortgage financing in order.

Off topic, but related, since we’re at it might as well see what’s happening over at the Oscars.

A Beginners Guide to Owning a Mortgage

Well, technically you don’t “own” your mortgage. In fact as soon as you get the mortgage you “owe” money to the lender who gave it to you. In this article A Beginners Guide to Owning a Mortgage we will raise awareness about and the importance of managing one of the largest debt’s that you will ever have; a mortgage loan

Mortgage Payment Frequency Options

At the most basic and elementary level, you need to pay back your mortgage on an on-time and regular basis as per the payment frequency you agreed upon with the lender. The Canadian Chartered Banks, Credit Unions, Trust companies, monoline lenders, and others will normally give you the borrower several payment frequency options to choose from; monthly, bi-monthly, bi-weekly, accelerated bi-weekly, weekly, and accelerated weekly.

The shorter between the payment frequency’s the more you are paying the lender back and therefore helping reducing the overall life of your mortgage, called the amortization. As well, the more payments you make, the less interest you pay and more of your payments go towards the principal owing, which in turn, the less you owe in principal the less interest is calculated on the lower principal amount.

We recommend to our clients to consider something in the middle ground. This way they won’t feel the pressure of making weekly payments, and at the same time will be taking advantage of making a little more payments than just 12 a year; the bi-weekly accelerated payment frequency option . The accelerated part means that the lender will increase your bi-weekly payment amount a little more by a certain percentage. For example if your bi-weekly payments are $1,000, then your accelerated bi-weekly could be $1,095. This extra $95 every two weeks can go a long way towards helping you save on interest payments.

Mortgage Prepayment Options

In a beginners guide to owning a mortgage we don’t want to forget telling you about the mortgage prepayment options the lenders give you throughout the year. Depending on which lender your mortgage is with, you are allowed to increase your regular mortgage payments by up to 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% of the original payment amount.

As well, you are given the option to make a lump sum deposit towards paying down your outstanding mortgage balance. Again, depending on which lender your mortgage is with, you can make a lump sum payment of up to 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% of the original mortgage amount towards your outstanding mortgage balance. And most lenders permit multiple lump sum payments throughout the year, as long as you don’t exceed the maximum percentages each year.

Although people don’t want to worry about any extra money being paid to the bank during their term with the lender, it is a good idea and a wise one to be mindful of setting aside a set amount each month for making lump-sum payments in the year or at the end of each year. By sacrificing a small amount earlier on in the life of the mortgage you are helping to pay less interest to the lender in the total life of the mortgage. For many borrowers who normally buy their homes at the prime of their life and having job security with a steady flow of income, making extra payments towards reducing their mortgage amount is definitely part of ‘owning’ your mortgage.

Be Wise and Prudent

A beginners guide to owning a mortgage wouldn’t be complete without a mention about being a wise and prudent borrower. Never borrow in excess and beyond your means. You wouldn’t want to put yourself in a situation where in the middle of your mortgage term you are unable to make mortgage payments or the high payment amounts create undue stress on your personal finances. The lenders are flexible and accommodating to a certain extent when it comes to late payments, or missed payments, however, they don’t like to see it happen too often, and certainly not regularly. Otherwise, you could find yourself in a legal mess and at the worst case scenario losing your home.

There are many resources out there, and since this article is a beginners guide to owning a mortgage here is one for your reading. Visit the Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick and check out their Saving Money tip, which can help you towards controlling your debts and saving more money towards paying down your mortgage balance.

We always like to hear from our readers relevant feedback and information. What has been your experience with having a mortgage? Would you add anything else in a beginners guide to owning a mortgage?

A beginner’s guide to getting a mortgage

In this beginner’s guide to getting a mortgage we will take you through the main steps of applying for a mortgage application. This beginners guide to getting a mortgage will cover the main points that will help you better understand what is involved when getting a mortgage in Canada.

A beginner’s guide to getting a mortgage STEP 1 – find a mortgage professional

We strongly recommend you working with a Mortgage Broker or Agent. They are licensed with their respective Provincial Governments and have met all the required educational standards to become a licensed mortgage broker or agent.

There are many advantages to acquiring the services of a mortgage broker or agent. To name a few;

They work for their client’s best interest,

Mortgages are what they do day-in, day-out,

Because a mortgage broker or agent is not working for any of the lenders there is no conflict of interest for them towards pushing you to one lender or the other,

They constantly stay up to date with the real estate financing world by participating in continuing educational courses and workshops.

A beginner’s guide to getting a mortgage STEP 2 – ‘checks and balances’

Buying real estate is, for most people, the largest single investment they will ever make, and because of this, getting a mortgage should not be taken lightly. Every person thinking about buying their own home whether now or in the future should start planning for the inevitable. What is the inevitable you ask? It is being able to show the lender that you are able to pay them back on a timely manner as agreed upon based on your credit strength and income. And how do you show this in practicality? Lenders such as Chartered Banks, Trust Companies, and Credit Unions follow Government underwriting guidelines, and as well their own internal policy’s, all designed to test how strong or week someone’s personal financial strength is in comparison to their debt level’s to be able to pay back the mortgage loan. To do this the lenders have certain requirements and they ask for information from the borrower when considering whether to approve them for a mortgage loan or not. They want to make sure at minimum the borrower has:

Enough income to pay back the monthly principle and interest of the loan

At least 5% down payment or more; you can even use gifted money from immediate family

We also recommend checking your credit report and score regularly, perhaps every year or two at Equifax and Transunion. This is great preparation for when you are ready to apply for a mortgage by making sure there are no discrepancies or fraud activity in your accounts.

That means from now you can start putting aside money each month in your bank account for your down payment and making sure that you have a steady job or income coming in to show the lender that you can afford to pay back the loan. As well, you want to make sure that you are paying back your debt on time, and on a monthly basis, and not be late making those payments.

Now that you have done your checks and balances, you can contact your Mortgage Broker or Mortgage Agent and consult with her or him about your current financial strength and debt obligations. They will ask you to fill out their mortgage application so that they can better assess your financial health and credit worthiness/readiness to apply for a mortgage. Your mortgage professional will, after reviewing your financial and debt history, ask further questions and give you advice on what steps to take next; whether to continue with your mortgage application or to wait until other matters are taken care of to strengthen and improve your chances of getting approved for a mortgage.

This post and its content, we hope, has provided you with the basic information you need when considering applying for a mortgage. Don’t hesitate to Contact Us with your questions, and if you would like to start the mortgage application process. As well, we invite you to share any thoughts you may have about the mortgage application and approval process below in the comments section.